bradley



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. BRADLEY.

BICYCLE.

Patented June 21, 1892;

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(No Model.) 7 '2 Sheets-Shet 2.

' J. BRADLEY.

BICYCLE.

No. 477,292. Patented June 21, 71892.

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JAMES BRADLEY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRISON W. BULLOCK, OF SAME PLACE.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,292, dated June 21, 1892.

' Application filed February 11, 1892. Serial No. 421,132. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES BRADLEY, a Brit: ish subject, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of NewYork', have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in bicycles, and more particularly to an arrangement and combination of parts whereby the drivingear occupies such a position that the pedals for actuating the same are forward the wheel-saddle, but within the periphery of the wheel, so as to receive to greater advantage the driving power than if the pedals were located at a point between the two bicycle-wheels, as is the common practice in the usual chain-driven bicycles of the Safety type.

In carrying out my invention I have em bodied this leading or main characteristic principle of construction in an organization presenting simplicity and durability of parts with a high degree of efficiency and facility of operation. As incidental thereto,-I'have geared each of the pedal-shafts to the driven wheel by a separate train of gearing, the whole being located within the periphery of the wheel, thereby permitting the employment of a larger driven wheel than is practicable in the usual Safety bicycle, and I have made provision for readily altering, as desired, the relation of the pedal-gear to the remaining gears of the train, so as to increase or diminish the speed of transmission from the pedalgear, according to the particular requirements of practice. I have also provided fora dimi; notion of friction between the moving parts by the employment of ball-bearings having' a particular arrangement which enables them to be readily inserted in position in putting the machine together, and in one modifica'; tion of my invention I have provided for a diminution of friction between the gear-' wheels themselves by employing as the idlegear a form of gear engaging with the cogteeth of the pedal-gear and driven-wheel gear; by means of peripheral pins or pintles serving as gear-teeth and having each a loose encompassing-sleeve. I have also provided a strongly-braced and well-fitted general framework forthe machine asawhole, and particularly for the housing and adjustment of the saddle removed. Fig. 3 represents a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents, partly in section and partly broken away, a modified form of driving-gear.= Fig. 5 repre sents in perspective a detail view of the driving-gear and its frame-work; and Fig. 6 rep resents, partly broken away and partly in section, a detail view of the connection between the driving-gear frames and the backbone and forward reach of the main frame.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 7 indicates the leading-wheel, and 8 the rear or driven wheel, of a bicycle having the usual guiding or steering rod 9 and saddle 10.

The main frame-work of the machine consists of a backbone 11, forward reach 12, cross connection 13, and sleeve 14, the sleeve 14 being mounted upon the guiding-rod 9 and the backbone being sustained from the hubsleeves 15 by the rearwardly-extending supporting-braces 16, connected to the bridgepiece 17, brazed or otherwise secured to said backbone.

The hub-sleeves 15 are provided, as shown in Fig. 5, with a nipple 18, upon which the inner ends of the braces 16 are. brazed or otherwise secured. Said hub-pieces 15 also serve as the inner supports of the frame-work for the driving-trains. These driving-train frame-works are located upon opposite sides of the driven wheel and consist of an outer pair of parallel rods 19 and an inner pair of parallel rods 20, united to form a rigid frame by means of the connecting-pieces 21 22, having openings through which the rods pass and within which they are firmly secured by brazing or otherwise. At their outer ends the rods 19 are provided with connecting-pieces which the rods 20 and 19 are adapted to pass, and being split at the ends of said progecshaft. An idler-gear 29 intermeshes with each of the driven-Wheel gears 28 and'is in turn connected to and driven by a gear 30,

fixed upon the pedal-crank 51, the said id1egear and pedal-gear being supported 1n bearings adjustable within the driving-gear supporting-frames.

The construction and function of the ad ju'stable bearings will be fully apparent from 1 Figs. 3 and'5. Each of the bearings consists of a central sleeve portion 31, provided with projections 32, having perforations through tions and provided with binding-screws 33, whereby the adjustable bearings can be securely locked or clamped to the rods 19 and 20 in the adjustment desired and whereby they may be uncla-mped and shifted to a different position when it is desired to change the gearing.

The sleeve 36 has a central square aperture for the-reception of the square shaft 38, upon which the gear is mounted.

In the modification shown in Fig. at the intermediate idler-wheel 39 is provided with; sleeves, substantially as described. cross-pins 4:0, surrounded by'sleeves 41, which,

as heretofore stated, tend to diminish friction in the gear-train.

The sleeve portions 31 are intern'ally screw-threaded, and a hollow nut 1 made up of separate sections 3a 35 is adapted to be screwed within the screw-threaded open- 1 ing thus presented. IVithin the hollow nut I is located a sleeve 36, provided with an an-..

nular groove, within which rests the balls 37. driven wheel, of a pedal-gear train, bearings for the outer members of said train, a shaft The operation of the invention will be ap-i parent.

Power transmitted by the operator two-part nut having a recess between the through the pedals is communicated on each 5 parts for the reception of friction-balls, a shaft side of the driven wheel to the cogs 28, therei by driving the bicycle forward and with the increased efficiency, due to the location of the shaft, and friction-balls separating the intepedals just ahead of the wheel-saddle. When 1 it is desired to change the gearing or replace i a Worn or broken gear, it is merely necessary 1 to drive out the square pin 38, whereupon. when the bearings are unclamped from the rods 19 20 and slid lengthwise on said rods the gear in question is at once released from its bearings and a new gear may be substituted in its place. Where it is only desired to change the relation of the gears to each other and not to replace a damaged idle-gear, it is merely necessary in the way described to remove the pedal-gear and substitute for it a gear of larger or smaller size.

It will be understood that in assembling the parts the bearings are to be strung upon the rods 19 20 before the connecting-piece 22 is brazed upon said rods. The ball-bearings are put together by first screwing in the portion 34 of the nut, then inserting the sleeve 36, with its balls 37, and finally screwing in the portion 35 of the'nut. The square shaft 38 is thereupon passed through the sleeve 36 and through the squared opening of the gearwheel, whereupon the sleeve thus locked to the gear revolves within the hollow nut and upon the friction-balls. When the particular form of idle-wheel 39 is employed, the revolution of the gearing is almost noiseless. For convenience in lubricating these bearings I provide an opening through the sleeve portion 31, which will permit oil to obtain access to the groove containing the friction-balls. This lubricating opening will normally be closed by the screw-plugs 42.

While in the foregoing description I have set forth my preferred method of construction I wish to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the special form of the several elements involved, but in some instances contemplate the employment of such fair equivalents therefor as come within the fair scope and spirit of my invention. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a bicycle, the combination, with the driven wheel, of a pedal-gear train, bearings for the outer members of said gear-traim'and friction-balls separating the bearings from the gear-wheel journals, substantially as described.

2. In a bicycle, the combination, with the or arbor for each of said members and upon which it is fixed, sleeves-on the shaft, and friction-balls separating the bearings from the 3. In a bicycle, the combination, with the driven wheel, of a pedal-gear train, bearings for the outer members of said train, said bearings consisting of a main body portion and a or arbor for each of said outergear-wheels and upon which it is fixed, sleeves on the rior of the two-part nut from the sleeves, sub stantially as described.

4. In a bicycle, the combination, with the driven wheel, of a pedal gear train and bearings for the outer members of said train, and rods upon which the bearings are mounted, said bearings being split at their ends and provided with clampingscrews for clamping the split ends upon the rods, substantially as described.

5. In a bicycle, a pedal-gear frame consisting of two pairs of guide-rods for the gearwheel bearings, said rods being connected to form a rigid frame and said frame being suspended atone end from the driven-wheel hub and at the other end from the backbone-frame, substantially as described.

6. In a bicycle, a pedal-gear frame, consisting of two pairs of guide-rods for the gearwheel bearings, one pair of said rods being shorter than the other, cross-pieces for connecting said pairs to form a rigid frame, one of said cross-piecesbeing connected to the wheel-hub and the outer ends of the longer pair of guide-rods being connected by a crosspiece supported from the backbone-frame, substantially as described.

7. In a bicycle, a frame-Work consisting of two pedal-gear frames, each formed of two pairs of guide-rods for the gear-wheel bearings, connected to form rigid frames, said JAMES BRADLEY. -Witnesses:

B. M. GALLIEN, H. W. BULLOCK. 

